


Our Cafe

by CameronFaneron



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Abuse(barely any), Angst, Crossposted to Wattpad, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mentions of past abuse, Photographer!Jeremy Heere, Youtuber!Michael Mell, funky fresh, started out as a weird coffee shop au but now its just gay and boyf riends
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-15
Updated: 2020-01-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:15:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22272445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CameronFaneron/pseuds/CameronFaneron
Summary: Michael mell is a video gamer with a YouTube channel that has over 10 millions subscribers and one billion views.Jeremy heere is the head photographer of his dad's magazine company.One cafe brings them together.---Boyf riends ficBmcCoffee shop au??? Kinda??I can't own bmc even if I triedI tried :")
Relationships: Christine Canigula & Michael Mell, Jeremy Heere & Original Male Character(s), Jeremy Heere/Dustin Kropp(past), Jeremy Heere/Michael Mell, Michael Mell & Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 33





	1. Part I: the condo

"Holy shit."

Michael Mell stepped into the large, warmly lit room. His mouth formed an 'o' as he strode across the condo, taking in all the fine details.

"Jesus Christ, how have I not lived in a condo before?" He muttered, letting go of his black leather suitcase.

The room was lit with gold-tinted lights and shiny wooden floors. The entry room was well furnished, with soft looking couches and a glass coffee table, and branched off into two different rooms, presumably the kitchen and bathroom. To his left, a short staircase leading to a small platform with railing that looked like something out of a Disney castle.

Michael pulled out his phone and snapped a pic, making a mental note to post it on tumblr and my space.

Totally worth the 10$ per night fee.

He stepped out of his shoes and walked around, up stairs, in the kitchen; everything was just as wonderous as the entry way.

He took a few more pictures and panoramas, before taking out his camera and microphone and setting up for a vlog. He was totally unprepared but fuck it, the internet needed to see this place.

"Hey guys it's-a-me, Gamer Boy, and I'm here to give my just moved-in condo tour!"

\-----🎮-----

Editing is a bitch when you haven't lived in your home for more than an hour, but that didn't matter. YouTube isn't worth using when the videos aren't worth watching.

Quote him on that.

He editing the audio, adding 8-bit music and some special text and effects as well, and there; a complete Gamer Boy vlog. Only took about three hours, and sure, he was exhausted, but it all worth it when someone left a nice comment and a like.

He made sure to update all his social medias about the video, including some of the pictures. Almost immediately after, his phone was lighting up with notifications from YouTube and other websites.

He checked the time: 3:05.

Enough time for a quick journey around town.

Pulling up discord, he sent a quick text to Christine.

(New message with true-thespian-gold at 3:08pm)

GaymerBoi: landed in jersey and im goin out wanna come w/

true-thespian-gold: ye sure! 👍

GaymerBoi: rad do ya know any good places

true-thespian-gold: cafe called "the collections coffee" it's a sweet place. Ill send directions in a few secs

GaymerBoi: sweet

true-thespian-gold: see ya✌️😘


	2. Part II: the cafe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael meets one of Christine favorite blogger. Chaos ensues.

"Holy shit." Michael groaned. "This is amazing. Totally worth the 19$." Christine giggled. 

"I know." She takes a huge bite of her croissant. "Like, I've gone to this a bazillion times and I knew that this place was a novelty and at the very center of town. Also every new citizen usually comes here as their first stop? I did too!" She squeals. "Ooh! The breakfast sandwiches they have here are killer! Once, when I came here and ordered, they actually ran out of..." 

Michael smiled as Christine rambled on about this cafe. He usually let her burn off some of the energy she constantly had pent up inside her. He took this time to examine the cafe. 

It was pretty cozy, golden walls with black accents and shelves along the walls. Each shelf held many objects some he recognized as old, retro things and others he couldn't figure out what it was. The shelves weren't the only things holding antique items. The windowsills and tables were lined with similar objects.

One corner of the cafe held bookshelves and black leather couches, dimly light by fancy lamps that could bend and twist. Few people sat there, most of the occupants doing some sort of homework or project rather than reading. The rest of the cafe was beautifully decorated booths and tables filled the space, leaving small walk ways and an area for a line at the front counter.

Colored lamps hung from the ceiling, very dim and giving the entire cafe a warm glow, making it seem like an aesthetic paradise. 

The entry door chimed and he idly turned his head away from the beautiful room.

A man, probably around his age, stepped in, clutching a professional looking camera in a white knuckled grip. The man's hair was brown and shaggy flopping over his pale face a blue eyes slightly. He wore a scarf, a winter coat, and some skinny jeans, his shoes were black and shiny, completing the professional get up.

Michael snorted. No matter how gussied up this man was, Michael could still feel the anxiety and nervousness radiating off of the stranger. And, by the looks of it, this guy seemed like a total twink. Michael would know, he knows a lot of twinks.

Michael watches him move, up to the cashier, delivery counter, and towards an empty table. Michael and he man lock eyes for a second, and Michael quickly averted his eyes back to christine, who had long stopped talking and was looking at him with a smug look.

"Who are ya looking at, Michael?" He nods his over to the twink.

"The twink over there." Christine also looks at him, looking thoughtful. "Such pro getup, yet such a twink." Christine stares a little longer before gasping.

"Holy crap, thats Jeremy Heere," She whispers. "Suuuper famous photographer, he takes the best photos of NJ. He works at his dad's magazine company, one of the best in Jersey. I follow him on insta!" She smiles broadly, a trademark Christine smile. Michael hums.

"He's that famous, huh?" Christine nods excitedly.

"LETS GO TALK TO HIM." She squeals.

"Woah there, let's not get ahead of ourselves." Michael pats Christine's hand. "Don't bombard him with too much info, you know what happens when you get too excited." Michael almost laughs when he remembers the scared look on the poor souls face when Christine blew her storm. 

Christine bounced up from her seat and bounded over to the 'Jeremy Heere' character, Michael in tow. Jeremy noticed them coming over and he put down a half eaten croissant, eyeing them cautiously. 

"Hi!" Christine leans on the table. "I'm Christine Caligula, and you're watching Disney channel." she mutters the last part under her breath. "I follow you on Instagram. Jeremy Heere, right?" She laughs loudly. Michael pities Jeremy and his terrified face. "HA! Of course you are." Michael decides to step in before Christine goes on a rant.

"Hi, Jeremy, I'm Michael. Michael Mell." He extends his hand, watching Jeremy's face carefully if there is any recognition. None. He doesn't know him. Odd. Jeremy takes Michael's offered hand.

"Uh, I'm uh- I'm-"

"You're the famous Jeremy Heere," Michael cuts him off with a good natured smile. "my good friend Christine told me all about you." Jeremy blushes.

"Uh yeah- uh-that's cool, I guess-"

"Can we take a selfies with you?" Jeremy seems a little overwhelmed.

"Uhm, yeah! Sure!" He gives a thumbs up. 

"Let me get my phone!" She runs away to their table. Michael turns to Jeremy. 

"Sorry about Christine, she's a but much." Jeremy nods. "She's great though, honestly." Michael smiles fondly.

"She seems uh, pretty cool, I guess." Jeremy muttered. He turned to Michael. "Hey, do I know you from somewhere?" Oh. So he did recognize him. 

"I have a YouTube channel, I'm Gamer-"

"Boy. You're Gamer Boy." Jeremy finishes. "Yeah I watch your Throwback Day games!" He smiles shyly. "Dude, I love the AotD specials. Favorite game." Michael gasps.

"Dude same, holy shit." The Gamer smiled proudly. "I know every cheat and code in the game." Jeremy groaned.

"Do you have a cheat for beating level nine?" He grumbled.

"Nope. Sorry man."

"Ugh. Useless." Jeremy joked, rolling his eyes.

"I'm sorry for not being the god at AotD. I have proven myself unworthy of love and friendship, therefore I shall perish." Michael snorted and Jeremy chuckled. 

"I FINALLY FOUND IT!" Christine's cheery voice was back, startling both boys. "Selfie time!" Jeremy composed himself quickly, smiling into the camera when Christine finally got both Jeremy and Michael's heads in the shot. Christine took a snapshot and checked the picture, squealing for the hundredth time that day. "It's PERFECT!" She flashes her phone in both the boy's faces, only allowing them small glances at the photo. Michael chuckled. 

"Hey, Chrissy, my friend, my amigo, BFF for life, we should be heading out now right?" Christine pouted.

"But-"

"Nope."

"Plea-"

"Nada."

"MICHAEL MELL-"

"Say goodbye, Christine." The girl groaned.

"Fine" she smiled again. "Goodbye, Jeremy!" She clutched her purse, Michael grabbed her hand. No matter what Michael could do, Christine kept going.

"Bye! We'll meet again soon, I promise! I'LL LIKE EVERY SINGLE POST YOU MAKE!" 

Christine was finally out the door and out of earshot. Jeremy waved and then put his hand down, feeling a bit overwhelmed. The cafe seemed quieter now. He brushed it off, continuing eating his croissant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oop done with second chapter
> 
> Please tell me your thoughts ;)
> 
> Peace out


	3. Part III: the second first meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeremy and Michael meet again.

Three weeks into living in New Jersey, Michael had set up the condo, making his bedroom his recording/editing room, and decorating the rest of the house with pictures and trophies. Soon enough, the condo felt more like a place he could call home. No matter how cheesy that sounded, it was still true.

Now, he lounged in a single person couch(which was incredibly soft and squishy. something that soft should not exist), feeling incredibly bored. Absolutely nothing was interesting. No motivation for a new video or live stream crossed his mind. Maybe he could explore his building. The thought of running into the neighbors who'll surely scold him for yelling during videos doesn't appeal to him all too much. 

It's been awhile since he stopped by the cafe from before. The delicious, hot'n'gooey chocolate croissants were calling to him. More importantly, calling to his stomach. Okay, so maybe another stop to the cafe wouldn't hurt.

Michael walked out of his condo, being sure to lock the door, and headed towards the parking lot. 

The YouTuber hopped in his old P.T. Cruiser and revved the engine, the old car sparking to life with a sputter and a clank. Old Doritos bags and papers lie on the floor of the car and under the dashboard near the pedals. He swatted at the snake eyes hanging on the mirror, right in front of his old family photo from years before. After pressing on the gas pedal a few times, the car finally pulled out of the parking lot and drove off in the direction of the cafe, leaving a cloud of smoke in its tracks. 

~~~~

Jeremy entered the old cafe once again, taking in the warm smells of chocolate and bread that greeted him. A meal for the nose, he supposes. The comfortable environment immediately calms him once he fully walks in. The cashier smiles a smile that fits the atmosphere of the room; warm and homey. A quick order and swipe of the card when he was sitting at the nearest open table. Soft chatter filled the room, this time it wasn't drowning him. Just hanging in the air pleasantly. 

The cafe's doorbell tinkled. Jeremy recognized the face that walked in.

"Michael Mell!" The dark-haired man stood in the entryway, staring at him. Michael's face twisted into recognition before he sped over. "Remember me?" 

"No." Michael leaned on Jeremy's table. "I should be calling the police right now, for a random man is screaming my name." Jeremy rolls his eyes. "Yeah, of course, I remember you. You're the weird guy who is stalked by my BFF, Jeremy Heere." 

Jeremy bows as best as he can in a booth. "Yours truly." 

"Order for Jerry Heere?" Jeremy groans at the name. 

"Gotta go, brb." he leaps out of his seat, trudging over to the pickup counter. Michael follows heading towards the cashier. Most likely getting his own order. Taking his place rightful place in the booth, he looks out the window and watches the hustle and bustle of his New Jersey. This would make a good cover for his latest collection. He gripped his sleek, top-tier camera and turned it on. Aiming the lens at the window, he made sure to get part of the items hanging on the walls in the picture and clicked a button. The satisfying stutter of the camera made a smile grace his face. The photo looked nice, and any reflection in the window was hardly seen. He snapped a few more, just in case.

"So this is how the magic happens," Michael slides into the other side of the booth, staring curiously at the camera. "Do I get to see?" Jeremy hugged the beloved camera to his chest. He poked his tongue out to Michael, crinkling his nose.

"Wait for the next issue." Jeremy winked. "or follow me on Instagram. I could use the followers." Michael crinkled his nose.

"Yeah. I think I can live without seeing it." Jeremy sips his coffee, briefly observing the familiar cafe interior.

"Your loss." Michael leaned back in his seat. Jeremy pulled out his laptop. the latest issue of his magazine holds a deadline of the next Monday from that day. He boots up his laptop, opening photoshop and editing the photos he had previously synced to his computer from his camera. 

The page of the magazine that was already opened was sleek and refined, the pictures in a perfect order and the words written out of the way and not protruding. The dark blues and bright greens and reds of the "antique places" he took pictures of popped against the black and white monochrome of the photos background. Perfect. 

Taking out the memory card from his camera Jeremy added the newest pictures of the cafe to a new page of his magazine. He filtered the photo slightly, enhancing the darker colors of the picture that make the lighter shades stand out more. Fitting in a caption that read "Collections Coffee: New Jersey" wasn't too hard. He edited the photo just perfect so that the picture was the main focus of the page and that the caption was small enough so that it was out of the way but not to small to read. 

Michael stood abruptly and startled Jeremy out of his working mindset. Michael laughed at the spooked expression on Jeremy's face. 

"Name was called." Michael nodded towards the pickup counter. Jeremy hummed in understanding before focusing back on the magazine page. 

When Michael came back he was carrying in one hand a plate with a chocolate croissant and a breakfast sandwich despite it being past noon. In the other hand he carried a small coffee mug, a straw and a receipt. Michael grinned widely while staring at his food. 

"I'm gonna enjoy this." Michael licks his lips. Jeremy looked back down at the laptop in front of him, taking another sip of coffee. 

"Be nice to the coffee."

"That's a lot your asking me now, huh?" Jeremy snorted.

"Doofus." Michael pouted. He looked like a five year old child wanting candy. In a way, it was sort of endearing. But in a dorky way that seemed to match his personality. 

"Meanie." Jeremy shrugged.

"Why a breakfast sandwich? It's like," he checked the old silver watch on his wrist. "Three. Breakfast is over." Michael set his food down and slotted himself into the seat of the booth, the dimmed lighting of the cafe casting soft shadows on his face. 

"Breakfast has no time limit." Michael frowned. "All-day is breakfast."

"Yeah, okay." Jeremy snickered. 

A companionable silence hung in the air. The chatter of the cafe had died down to quiet and soft conversations as more and more people left. Jeremy resumed working on the magazine page. That page was almost done, and soon he could send it off to his editor to make some adjustments. After that he would have two more pages to go. The bio of himself and his websites and social media pages. 

Michael scarfed down his meal, savoring the cheesey taste of the sandwich and the sweet chocolate. The bread was amazing; golden and toasted to perfection, unlike anything he had tasted before. Everything was perfect with nothing overcooked or undercooked. This cafe was a novelty. Heaven on earth, if he was being honest. 

Jeremy's phone dinged and he took it out, sighing at what he saw. A meeting in thirty minutes.

He began packing up his items and garbage. He turned to Michael with a nervous smile.

"Hey," he begins. "Can we hang out some other time? Maybe?" Michael looked up at him, raising an eyebrow while still drinking his coffee. Jeremy felt his face heat up considerably. "Or we can just-"

"Yeah, yeah of course man." Michael cringed at the sudden burn hitting his tongue. "At this cafe?"

"Saturday?"

"Sounds good." Jeremy nodded and stood. Michael did the same. "Can I have your number, maybe?"

Jeremy paused. "What?!" Michael frowned. Jeremy mentally face palmed. "I mean yeah- yeah, sure dude."

Michael dangled his phone in Jeremy's face, it taking awhile for Jeremy to register that he needed to put in his number into the phone. Jeremy handed Michael his own phone and quickly typed out his number into the other boy's phone. 

Once they switched phones back, Michael gathered up his trash and shot a lazy grin at Jeremy. "See ya, Jer." Jeremy nodded and walked towards the café's door, throwing away his trash and hearing the soft tinkle behind him, signaling his exit into the busy state of new Jersey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok a third chapter is up!!
> 
> As always, tell me what you think ! ;)


	4. Part IV: videos, magazines, and egg bites

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeremy and Michael go out and have a gnarly time.

"-so that concludes part nine of Doki Doki Literature Club!" Michael clapped him hands and stared directly into the camera in his room with a wide grin. "Thanks for tuning in, please leave a lick-" he snorted. "A like and subscribe for more episodes I'll see you next time, have a gay day and I'll see you all-" a dramatic pause and lean in towards the mic. "-in the next video." He leans back makes a piece sign with both hands. "Peace out, my dudes." He clicks the camera and shuts off the recording. Another video. Done

Friday night and another video was nearly done. He decided that the editing would be done tomorrow, since it was almost seven and he started recording at four. Mondays and Wednesdays are throw back day games, but with the multiple series going on at the same time. He could edit the videos on Sunday. Every Saturday now was a meetup with Jeremy, which was throwing off his schedule since Saturday's were his editing days. 

Michael brushed it off, watching the video play in front of him. Oh. A stupid word jumble and useless tangent. Cutting that out. 

His phone buzed, letting a short 8-bit tune pierce the air.

\---

Chat created at 7:57 3/14/18

Heere2bringfear:  
Hey we still on for tomorrow??

Gamerboi:  
Yea!! Totally! The cafe or naw?

Heere2bringfear:  
Sweet and yea the cafe is fibr  
*Fine  
Why do u have something else in mind?

GamerBoi:   
Uh yea actually I was wondering if you wanted to come hang at my place?? Maybe??  
I can meet you at the front

Heere2bringfear(at 8:00):  
Yeah man totally that's cool  
Just send me an address  
Btw I did something cool and I'll show ya tomorrow ;)

GamerBoi:  
Ew get that wink out of my Christian Minecraft server boi  
Rad man can't wait

Heere2bringfear:  
;) ;) k ;) ;)

GamerBoi:  
Fuck off

Heere2bringfear:  
;)

Michael snorted, shutting off his phone and plugging it in. He shut off his laptop as well, stretching out the taught muscles created from sitting for so long. Groggily, Michael trudged over to his bed behind his makeshift recording studio. He retracted the covers, snuggling in and dozing off fairly quickly. A dreamless sleep encased him, ridding him of the dread of editing videos.

〰

Jeremy pulled into the parking lot at Michael's place. He parked and stared intensely at the book in his hands. The NES controller on the cover page stared right back at him, everything but any red has been turned into a shade of grey. The caption sat below the controller, adding to the professionality of the picture. 

Prior to his "Antique Places" line of photos, he worked on a new series of photos, all dedicated to the retro styles.

He had a prototype printed by his editor. Praying to any god out there that Michael would enjoy it, Jeremy hopped of his car and entered the front building. 

True to his word, Michael stood in front of a vending machine by the entrance. The foyer was quite regal, golden lights and large windows, giving off a comfortable welcoming feel. Four receptionists sat at the front desk beside a large hallway, blocked by two secret-service looking agents. A myriad of keys hanging on a corkboard behind the receptionists. Several couches, tables and chairs were set up to the left of the large hallway. Few people actually sat in the chairs. 

Jeremy was tempted to snap a picture.

"Close your mouth," Michael snorted, appearing next to a gaping Jeremy. "I don't mean to sound like those dads tryna be funny, be you'll catch flies." 

"Shut up, I'm having a moment." Jeremy closes his mouth, taking careful steps inside. "This place is like a Disney palace." Michael nodded.

"True, my dude. True."

〰〰〰

"Dude this is totally baller!" Michael near shouted. Both he and Jeremy sat on two worn out beanbags in his room, reading Jeremy's surprise. He ran his fingers across the pages, seeing many old items from the 60-90's. "Holy crap, these are way better than the first ones. Although, I might be a little biased."

"Yeah, thanks man." Jeremy watched over his shoulder, the pages turning quickly. "Slow down, you'll break your hand."

"Fuck that, these are great." Michael clutched the magazine to his chest. "I want to keep it."

"But it's just a prototype."

"I don't care, it's amazing." Jeremy rolled his blue eyes, leaning in further to read his bio page. 

Michael faintly felt the soft, warm breaths escaping Jeremy, brushing against his neck in even patterns. Heat radiated off Jeremy, making Michael highly aware of his presence. He willed himself to stay calm and keep from blushing to much. Gulping, he turned face Jeremy with a smile.

Michael's brown locks grazed Jeremy's face when he turned. Noses brushed against eachother, shocking them both. Jeremy was in kissing distance. If Michael leaned forwards a few inches, that's what would be happening. The thought made him flush bright red at the closeness. silently thanked whatever god out there for his tan skin, effectively hiding his blush.

The air was thick with tension as the two boys stayed in that position for a minute longer. Jeremy broke the intense gaze. He gazed down chuckling nervously. 

"It's just a- uhm- a prototype. I can get you the finished one later." Jeremy tables over his words slightly. Michael, out of his daze, nodded and gave an awkward cough. Jeremy didn't seem to notice the short moment of closeness. 

"Ahm, yeah." He muttered. His heart pounded hard in his chest and his face still burned hotly. "That's cool."

They both sat in an awkward silence, tension heavy in the air. 

Jeremy looked up. "Wanna play video games?" Michael suggested. His voice cracked slightly. Curses.

Jeremy nodded. "Course, man. I'm down." Michael nodded.

〰〰〰

"Ugh, I'm going to fucking die if I don't eat something." Jeremy snorted at Michael's whining. Jeremy swerved his car in Mario Kart 7, dodging a blue shell in second place. Michael stayed behind in fifth. "Feed me?"

"Yo dude shut up." Jeremy shushed. "Feed yourself. I've got a game to win." Michael screeched as he ran right into a green shell. "Why are you so bad?" Michael pouted.

"I'm not!" He yelled, mirroring the cars tilts and swerves instinctively. "Ugh." He gasped loudly. "You cheater."

Jeremy snorted attractively. "What?"

"YOU RIGGED IT!!" Michael swerved his car violently and passed two people, putting him in third place. "CHEATHER CHEATHER! YOU'RE SUCH A CHEATER!" Jeremy almost dropped his controller because of his laughter.

"I don't cheat, what?!" Jeremy scrunched his eyes and guffawed. Although, he promptly stopped laughing when his remote control vibrated. He shot open his eyes just in time to see his character get screwed over by a red shell, dropping him to sixth place. "YOU SUCK!"

"YOU CHEAT!" 

"I'm never plating Mario Kart with you ever again." Jeremy flipped him off, pausing the game. Michael gaped. 

"You- you-" He floundered. "You SUCK." Jeremy shrugged.

"Whatever." Jeremy pouted. "Don't you wanna get food?" Michael pouted and fummed.

"Well not anymore." He whined. "That was such a dick move Jeremy Heere." 

〰〰〰

"I got bacon egg bites." Michael said, poking the yellow and red mound in front of him. "Not whatever this is." Jeremy hummed.

"It looks pretty good though?" He mumbled. "Just try it."

Michael did, cutting off a small piece and popping it in his mouth. His eyes widened as he chewed. "Holy shit," he groaned softly. "This is so good." He smiled broadly? "God, where has this been all my life?" Jeremy snickered. 

"In the kitchen, waiting."

"Don't be a smarty pants Jeremiah."

"Sorry, Michaelangelo." Jeremy snatched a pice from the uneaten side of Michael's egg bite. He gave the same reaction Michael did upon trying it. "Oh my god. this is insanely good." Michael gasped.

"How dare you steal my food?" He questioned with offense in his tone. "That was mine." 

Jeremy waved it off. "Details." Michael pouted. 

"Next time, you better put your food in a chest and run, cos I'm gonna get some revenge."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok fourth chapter on ao3
> 
> As always, tell me what you think ;)


	5. Part V: christine~ CHRISTIIIIIINNEEE-

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christine is literally the cutest devil you’ve ever seen.

"MICHAEL MELL HOW COULD YOU?!" Christine screeched, banging on the door to Michael's home. The man yelped and scrambled off of his comfortable couch, rushing to the door, almost banging into the high-running fan. He was still in his summer nightclothes, not expecting any visitors on a Sunday. "COME OUT HERE RIGHT NOW." 

Michael swung open the door, heart pounding with fright and anxiety. "What happened?!" Christine barged into the condo, planting herself on a couch. Michael stumbles after her. She pulls out her phone, tapping and swiping in crazy patterns before shoving it in Michael's face, making his eyes cross. 

"When were you going to tell me that you were dating the Jeremy Heere?!" Christine retracted her phone, a harsh pout on her face. 

Wait. Michael replayed the sentence in his head. That didn't sound right. 

"Wait, what?" Michael floundered. He grabbed Christine's phone. Instagram was open and Jeremy's latest photo was posted. 

In the photo, both Michael and Jeremy sat in the cafe in one of the booths by the window. Michael had a hand wrapped around Jeremy's shoulder, and a wide smile was planted on his face. Jeremy was smiling as well, staring into the camera with bright, sparkling eyes. They both looked so contented together. The caption read: "this guy is cooler than a vintage cassette". Some of the visible comments read: 

Omg they're so cute!!!

Are they dating?!

Isjwjwjsjsisididjdjsuch a good pic

Gayyyy

"Oh.- Michael's face grew warmer the longer he stared. "Oh." He was and red as he could get with his tan skin. He threw the phone back at Christine. "Oh sh!t- WE'RE NOT DATING!"

"HA! I KNEW IT- OH wait what?" Christine furrowed her eyebrows. "You're not?"

"NO!" Michael dragged his hands over his face, collapsing besides Christine on the couch. "We are not dating." Christine sighed mournfully.

"Awe!" She looked at the picture again. "I was just starting to ship it. Michael's cheeks have never been this hot.

"Christine~!" The Gamer whined. Embarrassment was an understatment. How could she? "That will never happen. He's as straight as a stick, and I don't like him like that.."

Christine was still looking wistfully at the picture. "He's bi. You're gay. This could've worked out!"

"He's bi?" Michael questioned. Seriously? But he was such a twink. Christine nodded. 

"Remember; I've been following him for a year, I've scrolled through all his social medias. I would know." She gasps. "Did you know that he deleted his tumblr?" She flailed her hands excitedly. "He deleted it before I followed him, which, you know, is pretty disappointing considering all his other sites are so good and..." 

Michael let Christine ramble, idly listening to her hop from one topic to the next. Thoughts cluttered his mind. Jeremy was bi? How many thought they were dating? What if some of his fans follow Jeremy? What is they think they're dating? Michael felt his anxiety spike. 

He shoved those thoughts to the back of his mind and tried to focus in on Christine's words.

"-in the musical that I'm in. Anyway, do you wanna hang out today since I'm, like, already here?" The thespian girl beamed brightly at the Gamer. "I wanna go out, stretch my legs, you know?" Michael really didn't know, considering the time he's been enjoying the inside of his bedroom recording videos. 

A hand carded through his dark, messy hair. " Yeah, sure." He shrugged. "Sounds good. Just let me get dressed." He gestured to his wife-beater and shorts as he stood up. Christine nodded.

"I'm allowed to go through your fridge, right?" She pats her belly, her body draped across the living room couch. "I forgot to eat before I came here, lol." Michael inwardly laughed at the use of the acronym. 

Christine's soft humming faded out as Michael bounded up the stairs to the "second story" of his home.

➖🎮➖

"Ugh, where are we going?" Sweat dripped down Michael's face. Strolling through the not-so-cool streets of New Jersey in the middle of July was not fun. Water would've been a good thing to bring, but fortunately, the nice, cold water bottle was left sitting on his counter. "We've been walking for like an hour.

"Fifteen minutes." Christine chirped. Contrasting to Michael's sweaty appearance, Christine seemed to be taking the heat pretty well. She dressed more comfortably, with a Jean jacket, pink T-shirt and a Jean skirt. Michael wore a black t-shirt with a controller on it and black shorts, his red sweater wrapped around his waist. Christine looked fine walking through 80-90 degree weather.

Michael, originating in Michigan, wasn't adjusting to the heat very well. 

"Stop whining, it can get hotter than this." Christine sweats a little, but no one could blame her. The highest temperature recorded that day was 95 degrees. 

"That was in like, 1936." The Gamer panted, legs feeling like lead. "When are we gonna get there? The unholy son of b*tch we call the sun is murdering me. Slowly. Very slowly." 

"Ugh, you're so whiney." Christine complained. "We're almost there, it's about a block away. Probably."

"Probably?" Michael paused, wiping sweat away from his eyes. "This is torture. It's 400 degrees and you don't know where were going." A car drove by, giving off a slight breeze before fading away. "We should've taken my car." Micheal begrudgingly resumed walking down the sidewalks pavement. 

"Well I-" Christine walked far ahead of Michael, who was struggling to catch up. "-wanted to walk so boohoo." She took a sharp turn and stopped in front of a large, stone building.

Statues and signs were scattered in the bright green grass in front of the building. Several pathways lead to the large structure's entrance, giving it a modern feel. A plaque on a large stone read: New Jersey State Muesuem. On the building itself, large posters were stuck to the wall, talking about history, science, and a planetarium.

Michael stared in awe. The building was so huge. 

"I had two tickets to go to this place." Christine admitted, turning around face the gaping YouTuber. "I was gonna drag you here earlier but then I saw the pic of you and Jeremy and I was like 'omg this is insane I ship it'." She skips along the path to the glass door entrance, Michael following shortly after. 

As soon as the two young adults walk in the muesuem, a gust of cool air hits them in waves. Michael sighs a breath of relief, his whole body sagging. The entry area is packed with people, all of them chatting happily. A few long, long lines gathered at the front desk, full of adults, teens, parents and children, and all sorts of different people. 

"Ugh." Christine moaned. "The lines are almost as long as the sun. Or maybe the moon. Probably Jupiter." The musical girl pushed straight the sea of people, dragging Michael behind her. He could hardly hear Christine over the crowds chatter. Michael hoped the sweat smell hadn't soaked into his shirt, if so, everyone could probably smell it. 

"I think the line's as big as the entire galaxy." He only received a hum in response.

➖🎮➖

The pair made it past the front desk, entering the muesuem itself.

To say Michael was impressed was an understatment. 

Both of the 26 year olds scampered around the place like children, getting excited over the littlest things. Michael enjoyed the room full of sculptures and art works, taking many, many, selfies with them. Christine kept attempting to touch the artwork, and if it weren't for Michael, she would've gotten arrested or pulled over. Outside the windows was a long drop, and Everytime Michael looked out the window, he would get sick. Christine kept leaning against the windows, enjoying the feeling of falling without actually needing to fall and break a bone or two. The thought of that made Michael feel lightheaded.

The planetarium took Christine's breath away, the beautiful colors of the planets and stars capturing her attention. Everything there excited her, all the pictures and technology. She didn't care much for the facts, but she still enjoyed reading them. The facts and stories didn't captivate her quite like the other aspects of the planetarium, but whatever made her happy.

Selfies with the polar bear figurines was one of Michael's favorite parts of the trip. He took selfies with wolves, polar bears, cats, raccoons, and dinosaur skeletons. In some of his pictures, Christine was in, making faces or just photo bombing. Those ones were his favorites. Although, she wasn't in any Dino pics. The skeletons spooked her a little bit. "They died." She would reason. "Let them be dead."

Michael enjoyed the experience more than he thought he would, since the idea of history muesuems weren't all that appealing when Natsuki made cupcakes in DDLC, or when Sonic was ready to go fast. 

By the end of the pair's escapade, Christine had gone poor at the gift shop and Michael had run out of photo storage on his phone. 

"Seriously Chrissy, thanks for taking me." Michael gritted out through the waves of heat crashing down on him. The sincerity wasn't left unnoticed though. "This actually pretty gnarly." 

Christine grinned brightly at him. "No prob, man." She shrugged. "If wanted to go for awhile and I thought 'hey, why don't I take Michael since he's new to New Jersey?'" Her grin turns sheepish. "Although, maybe I could've planned it later in the year when it's cooler. Ha, ha?" Michael snorts.

"Yeah, maybe."

➖🎮➖

"I did it." Michael gasped as soon as he arrived at his condo. The cool air conditioning hit his burning skin immediately. "I'm not dead." Chrisine fell onto one of the chairs. 

"Nope." She chirps.

"Hallelujah." He muttered, voice slightly muffled by the couch. 

"My feet are killing me." Christine groans lightly. Michael scoffs.

"My everything hurts. I'm never walking that long again." Michael vows. 

"Same here." Christine checks her watch. "Can I crash here for a few more hours? Play rehearsal starts at 3." Michael hummed his approval.

"Stay as long as you need Chrissy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These last two chapters were pretty much fillers
> 
> As always tell me what you think ;)


	6. Part V: its getting hot in here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael may or may not have a crush.

➖🎮➖

"I didn't think that would happen." Jeremy muttered. He sat in one of the one-person couches, sinking his bony but into the cushions. "Do you, like, want me to take the post down? If it makes you feel weird I can delete it." Michael sighed, slightly adjusting his position on his couch. Sweat dripped down both the men's face, more Michael than Jeremy.

The fan in the corner of the living room wasn't cooling anything down, more like circulating the hot air around. But it was an old, worn down fan; its life was probably almost over. Michael couldn't care less though, the room's temperature was insane.

"Don't take it down if you don't want to," Michael mumbled, peeling his hand off of his forehead. "It's just kind of funny to me." He shrugged.

"Whatever you say, Michael." Jeremy stretched out his long limbs, sinking into the one-person couch. Michael watches as Jeremy's shirt lifted up marginally, revealing pale, freckled skin. Jeremy wasn't to out-of-shape but he wasn't particularly bad looking either despite being a twig. the twink relaxed into the chair once again. 

Micheal tore his eyes off Jeremy, his face warming against his will. He cursed at how easy it was for him to become attracted. Jeremy didn't even show off much skin and he was already hot and bothered. The image of him stretching lingered in the gamer's brain and he replayed the scene over again in his head. Michael averted his eyes, embarrassed.

Jeremy watched Michael's face grow a lovely shade of red, the color blooming across his cheeks. 

"Hey. Want to go to the cafe later?" Michael asked, fanning himself with a plate of eaten sandwiches. 

"Why not now?"

"Pshh, yeah, while it's like 400 somethin' degrees out there." Michael emphasized. "Later." 

➖📸➖

The sun's rays shone through the window, casting a soft glow on Michael's brown skin. The man was currently staring out that very window looking calm and docile, and stark contrast compared to his usual dramatic demeanor. Right now, in the sunlight, Michael kind of looks like a picture that was decked out with Instagram filters. Jeremy wants to snap a picture of him. So he does.

The camera around his neck shutters and snaps. The photo looks nice and the quality is decent but the colors look more desaturated than in real life. He blames the camera. Jeremy makes a mental note to email his team about ideas for the next gallery of photos. 

The man glances away from the camera and looks up to see a confused Michael. The Gamer took a bite of his croissant. 

"Did you just...?" He trailed off.

"Take a picture of you? Yeah." Jeremy gently rested his camera on the table. Michael pinched the bright of his nose and sighed. 

"Why?" 

"Just 'cause." Jeremy shrugged. "You look like you're covered in filters."

Michael groans. "Those filters are awful. My little sis uses the iPhone filters and sometimes she looks like a f*cking carrot." He leans into the palm of his hand.

"Well, I think you look handsome. Not like a carrot." Jeremy snickered. Michael would honestly look like a rotten carrot in the bronze filter.

The man's face froze and slowly started to grow to a deep red. His cheeks took the most damage even though his whole entire face and neck was as red as it could get with tan skin. 

"Handsome?!" Michael's voice cracked at the end like a teenager. "Me- I- handsome?" Jeremy furrowed his brows tightly. This is the probably the seventh time Michael has blushed and stuttered like this. It was weird. Still, he didn't think much of it.

"Sure. The angles of your face are hit by the sun perfectly, casting a natural dynamic shadow that contrasts well with you eyes and lighter parts of the face. Blends with the back ground perfectly." He analyzed. "Somehow this happened without set up or careful lighting." 

Everything he said was true. Michael did look dashing in the sunlight despite the beads of sweat scattered on his face. His jaw was strong yet round, giving him a kind look. His hair was messy and added to the aesthetic of the photo along with the headphones around his neck. In all honesty, Jeremy thought Michael looked almost godly. But who wouldn't, with his body build and face structure? Jeremy wasn't a beauty guru(although part of his job was to make things and people look good for a picture,), but he knew that Michael was handsome. 

The man in question was flushed from head to toe. "Oh. Thanks. Dude." He fiddling with the cord on his headphones awkwardly.

Before Jeremy could ask why Michael was acting this way the brunette cashier stepped up to the edge of the table. Jordan, as the name tag read, eyed the two of them before he smirked. 

"Can I get you lovebirds anything else or is that it for you guys?" Michael shrunk further into embarrassment at Jordan's nickname for him and Jeremy. His green eyes flashed with amusement. "You guys have been here awhile."

"Nothing for me." Jeremy responded. Michael agreed and shoved his phone away. The cashier walked off with a small strut. Outside, the sky was growing darker while still being blue. The sun was three quarters of the way down, signaling how late it was getting. Michael prayed for the weather to be a tiny bit cooler than it was when they entered two hours ago. Such hopes were improbable because temperatures sure as hell couldn't have changed that fast. 

The two boys chatted idly as Michael drove down the street towards Jeremy's lonely home. He would occasionally direct Michael to 'go left' or 'go right' or 'keep going straight'.The weather cooled slightly, warm rather than sweltering hot that, as Michael says, you could cook eggs. Now that Jeremy thought about it, Michael was probably not accustomed to the insane temps here in Jersey. He'd have to work on that.

The window had been rolled down so the wind could tousle both the boys' hair. Occasionally Michael would laugh at the poor souls having to walk in this serious heat. Jeremy would snort while Michael felt superior to the low-life pedestrians. Unless they were tourists coming from the colder states, Jeremy thinks the walkers would be fine with walking this much on a summers day.

Finally, after a good ten minutes of laughs, jokes, playful punches, and stupid roasts, Michael pulled up to a modest, grey-and-red mansion with a sleek, black Lincoln in the driveway. He had seen the car a few times when Jeremy came over to the condo. Jeremy smirked at Michael's gaping mouth. 

Michael almost slammed his head against the wheel. And he thought his condo was amazing. This house could blow any other living space out of the water. 

"Woah." Jeremy snorted at Michael's dumb look. 

"Yeah, woah indeed." He smiled proudly. "Getting half of the profit of a magazine company has its perks. Walk me to the door?" He got out of the old cruiser, which looked liked junk compared to Jeremy's vehicle. 

"Okay." Michael cautiously stepped out of his car, terrified to be near the large home. 

Jeremy stopped at the door of his house. The sun was shining up in the sky, almost ready to start dipping below the horizon. The angle gave Michael an ethereal glow and cast shadows across his face with colors of soft pinks a bright oranges. Jeremy squinted a little from the harsh rays, but kept his eyes open just enough to drink in the sight of Michael. 

"Thanks for hanging with me man." Jeremy grabbed his soft hand and pulled him in for a hug and a pat on the back. "Bye."

Michael saluted and smiled a natural grin. "See ya, Jeremiah." Jeremy rolled his eyes at the name. 

He watched the car pull out of his driveway and speed off, leaving him all alone with this beautiful view obviously made for two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oop ;) michael is a doof
> 
> As always, tell me what you think;)

**Author's Note:**

> First chapter done
> 
> HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
> 
> Anyway this is a pretty short chapter but it'll do for now
> 
> Peace out


End file.
